Captured in moonlight
by Ceellia-19
Summary: Orihime's world has shrunk to the size of a twelve by five room. The word loneliness has got a new meaning and the only person she can talk to is the man who keeps her imprisoned... COMPLETE!
1. A closed opened door

**All righty, this is my first Bleach fic ever! Yay!  
>At least, I hope it's yay. We'll see. ;-)<br>**

**Anyway, this is my version of Orihime's captivity in Hueco Mundo. Hope you like it.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: A closed open door<strong>

Orihime Inoue sat on her knees in her prison cel, with her back towards the window. Her eyes were closed and her hair was gleaming in the never-ending moonlight. She couldn't bear to look at it anymore – the moon. It was always the same, which gave her the deceptive feeling that very little time had passed, though she knew very well that the opposite was true. It has been countless days since she first set foot in Hueco Mundo. Unfortunately it was impossible for her to know exactly how many days, since there was no such a thing as a 'day' here. That had almost driven her mad in the beginning, but now she had somehow accepted it. Though accepting probably wasn't the right word. She had gotten used to, rather. Like one can get used to an awful smell.

Orihime's eyes flew open when she heard the sound of footsteps slowly coming closer. Her heartbeat increased. She fumbled with the fabric of her long white dress and bit on her lower lip. In her head she counted the footsteps.  
><em>Seven, eight, nine…<br>_Silence. She looked at the door. It opened and a dark silhouette came into sight. Though the man's face was wrapped in shadows, she knew very well who it was. She could recognize him just by the sound of his footsteps.

The man stepped into the moonlight. The white light made his skin seem even paler and his eyes looked like emeralds more than ever. In his hand he carried a dinner- tray.  
>"Dinnertime, woman," Ulquiorra spoke with an expressionless voice.<p>

"Y- yes," Orihime said. She hated it that she still couldn't say a word to him without her voice starting to tremble.

Ulquiorra put the tray down in front of her. Her dinner was rice with some unidentifiable brownish matter and a glass of water. Orihime wished she could have some strawberry sauce and ketchup to make the tasteless food more eatable, but she didn't dare to ask.

"Thank you," she said.

Her prison guard nodded and leaned against the wall, just like he always did. It was a routine: he would come in, give her her food, then lean against the wall and watch as she ate it. Orihime didn't know why he did that last thing – probably to make sure would eat it all – but she found it actually pleasant, though she had found it highly uncomfortable at first. It was nice to be not alone for a while.

She ate her food in the usual silence. It wasn't very different from the dinners she ate at home, except from the fact she now had no music to mask the silence. At home she always had music playing. Orihime missed her music almost as much as she missed her friends.

When she had finished her dinner, Ulquiorra picked up the tray again and walked toward the door.

"W- wait, Ulquiorra- sama," Orihime said suddenly.

Her prison guard turned around. For a moment Orihime thought she saw a glimpse of surprise in his eyes, but it disappeared just as fast as it had appeared.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Ummm…" Orihime felt her cheeks burn. She turned her eyes to the floor. She couldn't do it, she couldn't talk to him – she didn't have the guts to do so.  
>"I- it's nothing, never mind…"<br>_God, I'm such a coward… _

Ulquiorra looked at her for a few seconds, before he opened the door and left. He hadn't locked the door – he never did. When Orihime first got here, she had found that very weird. She had wondered whether it was some sort of trap or game: try to run away and see what happens. But soon she had realized that wasn't the case. It was simply not necessary for them to lock the door. They knew she wouldn't run away. And even if she would, she wouldn't come very far. The open door was a sign of their power; the control they had over her.  
>It was just another way for them to break her spirit.<p>

Orihime listened how the sound of Ulguiorra's footsteps became weaker and weaker, until it faded away completely. She was alone again, with no one to talk to but her own shadow.  
><em>Next time I'm going to do it, <em>she thought to herself. _Next time I'm going to talk to him._

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><p><strong>And that was chapter 1.<strong>

**If there's anybody out there who wants me to continue, please let me know. ^^  
><strong>

**Oh yeah, and I apologize for any grammer mistakes - English is not my first language, but I'm trying my best.  
><strong>


	2. No avarage human

**Since I have butt loads of time and inspiration, a fast update! Well… for me it is, at least. ;-)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: No avarage human<br>**

Ulquiorra was standing in front of the only window in his enormous private room. His room was, though soberly furnished, one of the most beautiful in whole Las Noches. It had olive colored marble floors, subtle crystal chandeliers and even some pieces of abstract art; oddly shaped statues and paintings showing unrecognizable figures, all of them chosen with care by Ulquiorra himself.

He stared at the artificial sky Aizen had created, with his hands in his pockets the slightest bit of a frown on his pale face. He didn't like the view at all. It was too bright, too blue; it was almost depressing. Just like most Espada and Arrancar Ulquiorra preferred the serene beauty of the night sky, and the darkness it provided.

He sighted. Maybe it was an idea to put a curtain in front the window. But he would take care of that later, right now he had more important things on his mind.  
><em>They are here, the woman's friends… <em>  
>The air was filled with their reiatsu, it was almost touchable. There were a lot a fights going on.<br>He_ is also fighting – Ichigo Kurosaki…  
><em>Deep inside Ulquiorra felt the desire to fight this somehow intriguing man, to see how great his power really was. And then he would defeat him. No, not just defeat; he would crush him, shatter both his body and soul. He would show him just exactly how big the gap in strength between them was.  
>But there was no rush. If Ichigo Kurosaki indeed was strong enough to put up a decent fight with him, they would meet. One day or another.<p>

_Orihime Inoue doesn't know that her friends are here._  
>Ulquiorra could have told her, but he hadn't. He could have used the subject to emphasize she now belonged to Aizen, that her friends would never leave Hueco Mundo alive, but he hadn't.<br>He wondered why.  
><em>And why did they come here in the first place?<br>_That was another thing that was bothering him. Why would they go on such a desperate and useless mission? It was a suicide mission, practically. He just couldn't comprehend it.  
><em>Humans truly are a mystery… <em>

* * *

><p>Orihime was sitting on the only piece of furniture in her prison: the turquois sofa that also referred as a bed. It was a really nice sofa; soft but not too soft. It kind of reminded her of her old sofa, back home. That was probably the main reason she liked it so much.<br>As she sat there, blankly staring into the distance, she thought about Tatsuki- san, Kurosaki- kun, Ishida- kun, Sado- kun, Kuchiki- san, her brother… everyone she cared about. She played her memories over and over in her head like movies.  
><em>But that was another life, in a distant past. My present life is here…<em>  
>In the back of her mind a question was ringing – the one that had been haunting her constantly since she arrived here:<br>_Will they come for me?  
><em>They had come to the Soul Society when Rukia was held captive, but that was different… Orihime didn't know if it was even possible for outsiders to enter Hueco Mundo.  
><em>But even if they could, they shouldn't… It's too dangerous; I'm already lost, I've already said goodbye…<em>  
>She realized she wouldn't even notice if they did. She couldn't feel any reiatsu in here. The room was probably protected with some sort of barrier.<p>

The sound of approaching footsteps woke her from her daydreaming, but it weren't the steady steps she knew so very well. No, these footsteps were quick and slightly unstable, yet purposeful. On top of that she was absolutely certain she heard _two _pair of feet, instead of one. It definitely wasn't Ulquiorra- sama who was coming her way. An ice cold wave of fear came over her.  
><em>Who could it be?<em>

As the door opened Orihime quickly stood up. Whoever her uninvited visitors were, she wasn't going to show them she was afraid.  
>Two arrancar stood in the doorway, two girls; one with short blond hair and one who wore her raven hair in two pigtails.<p>

The raven haired arrancar walked inside, an evil smirk pasted on her face. Orihime was on her guard immediately; she had seen smirks like that before and knew they meant trouble.

"Look at this… You live in a fancy room, don't ya?" the girl said, while looking around.

"Yeah, Aizen- sama must really like you a lot," the other added.

Orihime looked to the ground, her heart pounding in her throat.  
><em>Stay calm, Orihime, they want to upset you, they want a reaction. If you stay calm, they'll leave, eventually… <em>she tried to convince herself.

The raven haired girl saw Orihime's reaction and her smirk broadened. "Isn't that true, princess? Everybody's talking about you… you're the girl of the hour; you must be important." She sat down on the sofa, still smirking, her violet eyes filled with hate and anger.

_They're jealous... _That realization increased her fear; jealousy was an irrational and dangerous emotion, especially when there was a man involved.

"Yeah, isn't amazing that five people came to save their princess?" the blonde added tauntingly.

Orihime's blood curdled in her veins.  
><em>Five people came to safe me?<br>_"No…"  
><em>Please let it be a lie, please…<br>_Her legs started to shake and her throat felt like it was filled with cement. She suddenly wished she had a glass of water.

The raven haired arrancar stood up and walked towards her. "Tell me, princess Orihime, do you think everybody should worship you? Do you think you're so special? Do you think you deserve all this attention?"

"I- I don't think that…" Orihime said softly, trying to swallow away the oppressive feeling in her throat.

The girl walked towards her. Orihime suppressed the urge to step back.  
>"What was that?" she said softly. "I couldn't hear what you said…" She was now so close Orihime could feel the girl's hot breath on her skin. She forced herself to remain calm and look the arrancar in the eye.<p>

"I don't think that!" Orihime repeated, more powerful now.

The girl grinned. Her violet eyes glistened evilly. "Let me give you some advice, princess…" She suddenly grabbed Orihime's hair and pushed her on the ground harshly. "Stop thinking you're special! You're nothing but a weak human, unworthy of Aizen- sama's attention!"

Orihime tried to get up but the raven haired arrancar kicked her in her stomach. Orihime gasped for breath. She felt tears of pain and humiliation burn in her eyes, but blinked them away. She refused to cry in front of those- those…  
>"Aaah!" Orihime couldn't hold a cry as the girl kicked her again, even harder than last time.<p>

"Now it's my turn," the other arrancar said, her green eyes set on Orihime.

As Orihime looked into the eyes of the blond girl, which filled with both hate and joy, a terrifying though crossed her mind:  
><em>They might actually kill me…<br>_The thought of dying here, all alone, was unbearable.  
><em>No, they won't… Aizen- sama needs me… I just have to- <em>

A small cero formed in the blondes hand. She laughed as she raised her arm, ready to attack. Orihime quickly scrambled up and jumped. A flash of red was followed by the sound of stone being crushed. Orihime felt a fierce twinge of pain as her head hit something hard. Pieces of broken stone flew through the air.

"What's this, princess?" the raven haired girl asked, visibly amused by this new turn of events. "Are you going to resist? Do you want to fight us?" She laughed.

Orihime got on her feet, ignoring the stinging pain in her limbs. She had to lean against the wall just to keep standing. "N- no," she said, heavily panting and trembling. She felt something warm and wet in her neck. "I don't want to fight you, I want to ask you to leave. I'd very much appreciate it."

"What?" the arrancar's eyes narrowed. The smile disappeared from her face. She grabbed Orihime's dress and violently pushed her against the wall. Her arm was pressing against Orihime's throat. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"S- stop it, please," Orihime tried to say, but she could only whisper. She grabbed the arm of the girl, struggling to free herself from her suffocating grip, but she had not enough strength left. Exploding white lights danced in front of her vision.

"I think she got the message, don't take things too far," the blonde said to her friend.  
>To Orihime the words sounded vague and far away. Her head was spinning and she could barely see a thing anymore.<p>

"Just shut it!" The other arrancar yelled. "If you don't have the guts to do this, just leave! You- " All of the sudden her mouth fell open and her eyes widened. She let go off Orihime, who fell on the floor, couching and panting.

"U- Ulquiorra," the blonde faltered.

_Ulquiorra- sama…_  
>Orihime lifted her head. It took her a few seconds to get her vision straight. There was a man standing in the doorway. He had black hair, piercing green eyes and was dressed in white. Her breath caught in her throat and her heartbeat increased.<br>_He's here… _  
>Seeing him, Orihime felt not only the usual mixture of happiness and fear, but also a complete new emotion: relieve. She realized she had unawarely been waiting for him to come the entire time.<p>

Ulquiorra's eyes rested on Orihime for a moment, before he turned his gaze at the raven haired girl.  
>"Orihime Inoue is one of us now. She's under the special protection of Aizen- sama, you have no business with her," he said with an icy tone of voice, as he slowly walked towards the arrancar. "Step back."<p>

"S- stay away from me!" the girl cried. "Aaaah!" In the blink of an eye she crushed into the wall.

"I told you to step back," Ulquiorra said.

"Bastard!" The blond screamed as she attacked Ulquiorra with all of her strength. A red beam of energy cut through the air.

"Pathetic." Ulquiorra blocked her cero effortlessly. He pointed his finger towards her. A green light started the glow. The girl's eyes widened as she understood what was about to happen. "No!"  
>A flash of the brightest green was accompanied by a shrill scream. Orihime averted her gaze.<p>

"Y- you won't get away with this," the raven haired girl said, her voice trembling with fear. "Aizen- sama will make you pay!"

"You are not even worthy of saying his name," Ulquiorra said disparagingly.

"Stop, Ulquiorra- sama," Orihime said. Her head was pounding and the world was wavering, but she still managed to get on her feet again.

Ulquiorra turned himself towards her. "Are you alright, woman?" he asked with a soft yet frigid voice in which sounded no anxiety.

"Y- yes, I'm fine. Let me heal that girl, please."

"Heal her?" Ulquiorra frowned lightly. "Don't be foolish, woman, heal yourself."

"N- no," Orihime said determined. She looked Ulquiorra straight in the eye.  
><em>I have to heal her, she doesn't deserve to die… <em>

Ulquiorra stared at her, for the briefest moment completely amazed.  
>"You are a strange creature, woman," he said eventually.<p>

Orihime staggered towards the blond arrancar – or what was left of her. The girl was unrecognizably burned and there was a gaping hole in her chest. Orihime kneeled down next to her and raised her arms. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. "Sōten Kisshun; I reject."  
>A warm feeling spread through Orihime's body and her fingertips started to tingle. It felt good, like a hot bath on an extremely cold day. She could feel the power flowing out of her body in warm, lazy waves.<p>

After a few minutes she opened her eyes again. The blond girl was all healed up, though still unconscious. Sōten Kisshun disappeared. Orihime immediately felt the rebound. It hit her like a hammer: an intense feeling of exhaustion.

"Y- you've healed her… " The raven haired girl stood up, staring at her friend, completely shocked. "I- Impossible… You're- you're a monster!"

Orihime stood up as well, suppressing the pain and exhaustion that tortured her body. "You're welcome…" she muttered.

"Get lost," Ulquiorra ordered the arrancar. "And take the other with you."

The girl rushed to her friend, lifted her up and left without a word. A silence fell.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra- sama." Orihime tried to smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn't move. The world started to turn and waver in front of her eyes again.  
><em>It's too much...<em>  
>Finally her legs gave out, but she didn't hit the floor. Two strong arms kept her upright.<br>"U- Ulquiorra- sama," Orihime stammered, surprised and somehow also a bit embarrassed. She felt the blood rise to her cheeks. It was intimidating to be this close to him. It felt like his emotionless eyes could see right through her.

"Can you heal herself?"

Orihime heard the question but the answer wouldn't leave her mouth. Her eyelids got heavy and she was suddenly very aware of the warm wetness that was dripping down her neck. "I- I'm sorry…" Her head dropped forward, resting on his shoulder.  
>The last thing Orihime thought before she completely blacked out was:<br>_He smells a bit like the beach… how odd…  
><em>

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra felt Orihime's body suddenly become limp.<br>_She has only lost her consciousness, _he ascertained when he touched the side of her neck and felt her heartbeat. The warmness of her skin surprised him. It couldn't be more different from an arrancar's.  
><em><br>_Ulquiorra gently laid Orihime down on the ground. He kneeled down next to her and quickly examined her body. Her normally flawless creamy skin was pale and covered with scratches, and her dress was scorched, but Ulquiorra couldn't find any severe injuries. Only a pretty deep wound on the back of her head, but it was not life threatening. She would be okay.

He stood up and looked around. The room was a mess; everything was covered in dust, there was a crater in the floor and the walls were damaged at several places. The right half of the sofa was gone – an unforeseen victim of his cero, Ulquiorra realized.  
><em>This room doesn't suffice any more… and the woman needs rest and healing.<br>_There was some sort of hospital ward in Las Noches, thanks to Aizen- sama, but Ulquiorra'd rather not bring her there. It was a very open space – she wouldn't be safe. And it was his duty to keep her safe.  
><em>It seems I have no other choice than to bring her to my private room.<br>_Ulquiorra lifted the unconscious Orihime in his arms. It was like lifting a feather. He moved her head so that it was resting on his shoulder again, instead of lulling backwards as if she were dead._  
><em>  
>As he walked through the deserted, weakly illuminated corridors of Las Noches, Ulquiorra's thoughts drifted away to what happened.<br>_Orihime Inoue saved the life of the arrancar that harmed her – the arrancar that very easily could have _killed _her._  
>If Ulquiorra hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it. It just didn't make any sense at all. No normal, rational thinking person would have done that. But Orihime Inoue wasn't a normal person. From the moment he first met her, he had known that this woman wasn't an average human – and not only because of her remarkable powers. There was something about her that he couldn't quite place. That somehow irritated him, but he was confident that he would figure it out, figure <em>her <em>out, eventually. After all, he his eyes could see _everything… _  
><em><br>_He could even see through Aizen- sama.

Ulquiorra thought back to the conversation he'd had with his master a few hours ago.  
><em><br>"Aizen- sama," Ulquiorra spoke to the man who was sitting on the marble throne in front of him, "exactly what are you going to do with Orihime Inoue?" His words resonated in the enormous hall._

_"What an odd question, Ulguiorra," Aizen said. His lips were curdled in a small smile. "I need her powers to restore the Hougyoku, I've already told you that."_

_Ulquiorra stared him in the eye, and slowly shook his head. "No, she was just bait, wasn't she? Her powers are of no use for you, I'm well aware of that," he said. "And your plan has worked magnificently, Aizen- sama, as always. Kurosaki and his friends are here, and the Shinigami will follow soon. So what are you planning to do with the woman?"_

_Aizen softly chuckled. "What do you think I'm going to do, Ulquiorra?"_

_"Kill her," Ulquiorra answered blankly.  
><em>

_"Well bravo Ulquiorra, you guessed it right in one shot," Aizen said, still smiling. "Why do you care, anyway? Do you want to request if you may be one to have the honor of killing her? Or… do want to ask me to spare her life?" His tone of voice was smooth as always, but Ulquiorra noticed Aizen's eyes darkened when he spoke those last words._

_"No," Ulquiorra said, unmoved by Aizen's insinuations. "I want to suggest you turn her into an Arrancar."_

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><p><strong>Though it's kind of difficult to write, I really wanted to throw in some Ulquiorra POV. I hope it was any good.<strong>

**Of course reviews are most welcome! ^^**


	3. No need for tears

**I had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, since I had a hard time deciding which road to take with this story (I had multiple ideas), but I hope it turned out the right way.  
>Have fun reading! ^^<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: No need for tears <strong>

_Orihime was floating in darkness, her eyes wide open but there was nothing to see. She tried to move but it felt as if she was tied by invisible strings._  
><em>Suddenly a person appeared in front of her eyes. Kurasaki- kun, was her first thought, but as the contours of the person became more visible, she saw that it was Ulquiorra- sama. His emerald eyes seemed sad and the green lines on his cheeks that looked like tears had taken place for real tears. Without saying a word he stretched out his arm, his fingers spread, reaching for her.<em>  
><em>Orihime wanted to stretch out her arm too, so she could grab his hand, but she still wasn't capable of moving.<em>  
><em>"No!"<em>  
><em>Ulquiorra's contours started to fade away, until he had completely merged with the darkness and there was nothing but blackness in front of Orihime's vision again.<em>

"No!" Orihime's eyes flew open. She was sweating and panting, and realized she'd had a horrible nightmare, though she couldn't recall what it had been about. All she remembered was an oppressive feeling of emptiness.

As she calmed down, memories of what happened slowly started to drip in.  
>Two arrancar girls. Pain. No air. Ulquiorra- sama. Sōten Kisshun. Intimidating emerald eyes.<br>Then nothing.  
><em>I must have lost consciousness…<em>

Suddenly Orihime realized she wasn't in her prison cell any more. She looked around and ascertained she was lying on some sort of improvised bed on the floor of a huge, greenish illuminated room where she'd never been before.  
>She moved her blanket, got up and started to examine her surroundings. The ceiling was high, the floor was olive colored and the walls were made of shiny black stone, just like the ceiling. The light was provided by chandeliers made of green crystal, which explained the greenish glow.<br>Against the left wall was a minimalistic, black sofa with a painting hanging over it and a low, glass table in front of it, all on top of a dark, purplish rug. Against the right wall was a fireplace, also with a painting over it. Right in front of her she saw a purple, velvet curtain with a window behind it – at least she suspected there was one.  
>Orihime looked over her shoulder and saw four oddly shaped black pillars (or were they statues?) leading to a blind wall. She got the feeling there had to be a door in there somewhere, but there wasn't. Now she thought about it, there weren't any doors at all in this strange room.<p>

_Where am I? And where is Ulquiorra- sama?  
><em>He must have been the one who brought her here. She touched the back of head and noticed the wound had closed, though it still was a sensitive spot.  
><em>He must have healed me to…<br>_A blush stealed over her cheeks as she pictured herself in Ulquiorra's arms.  
><em>How embarrassing!<br>_Orihime visualized how he laid her down on the bed and gently took care of her injuries. She touched her cheek and felt the skin was soft and clean. He had even wiped the dust of her face.  
><em>Ulquiorra- sama… <em>  
>Orihime hugged herself and sat down on the bed again. She couldn't help but hoping he would return soon.<p>

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><p>Ulquiorra's footsteps made a tapping sound as he walked through a narrow corridor in Las Noches. He was carrying a dinner tray and was on his way to his private rooms, where he had brought the woman after the incident with the arrancar. When he had arrived there a few hours ago, he had immediately made her a comfortable bed, whereupon he had taken care of the wound on her head.<p>

Ulquiorra wondered if she was already awake. The last time he checked she been restlessly asleep, kicking and turning under the blankets, with tiny drops of sweat on her forehead and a troubled expression on her delicate face. She was probably having a nightmare, Ulquiorra figured. Another one of those odd human difficulties.

And she would stay this way; a mere human.

_There was a moment of complete silence after Ulquiorra's question. Aizen looked at him with a characteristic smile on his face, his eyebrows slightly raised._  
><em>"No," was his resonating answer.<em>

_"But turning her into an arrancar would increase her powers, powers that are already substantial," Ulquiorra said._

_"Undoubtedly, but her powers are of no use for me." Aizen strengthened his back and smirked. "An immortal god doesn't need healing."_

_Ulquiorra nodded stiffly. "Understandable," he said before turning around and leaving the enormous hall, with his hands in his pockets and a face that did not show any trace of disappointment, though for a brief moment, deep inside, he did feel an emotion that resembled that._

Ulquiorra stopped when a person came walking around the corner, blocking his path.

"Well, well… Ulquiorra," a tall, skinny man with dark, lank hair said.

"Nnoitora," Ulquiorra responded blankly.

Nnoitora's small eyes narrowed even more. "I see you're going to feed your human pet…" he said with a voice dripping with malice.

"Could you step aside?" The words sounded more like an order than a question.

Nnoitora's eyes darkened. He didn't react and kept standing motionlessly in front of Ulquiorra for a few seconds, before he stepped aside – visibly with reluctance.

Ulquirra walked pass him without a word. He could feel Nnoitora's eyes burn in his back.

"Someday… I'll get you…" Ulquiorra heard Nnoitora whisper.

Ulquiorra didn't hate Nnoitora, but he didn't like him either. Actually he had no feelings at all regards him – the fifth espada let him completely cold.  
>He knew that those feelings (or rather; non- feelings) weren't mutual.<br>Nnoitora hated Ulquiorra with a burning intensity, probably because Ulquiorra was stronger than him in every possible way (according to Ulquiorra, that is). Nnoitora had wanted to fight him since the day they met, but Ulquiorra always refused; he saw no reason to fight the other, weaker espada. And that seemed to piss Nnoitora off infinitely – much to Ulquiorra's amusement.  
>The slightest hint of a smile appeared on his face as he continued his way.<p>

* * *

><p>Orihime felt tired, but she couldn't sleep any more. She stood up, sat down again, and then stood up once more. Restlessly she paced up and down the room, until her eye fell on the curtain.<br>_If I look out of the window, I might get a clue of where I am…  
><em>She pushed the thick, velvet fabric aside and found herself looking at the sky by day, the sky she used to see every morning.  
><em>But… that's not possible!<em>  
>It really was there though, clear blue and with white rags of clouds.<br>_Maybe it's some sort of illusion…  
><em>  
>Suddenly she felt it; countless strings of reiatsu were storming through the air. The atmosphere was vibrating with it, Orihime felt it on her skin, could almost see it with her eyes.<br>She closed her eyes and concentrated on the strings that belonged to her friends, one particularly.  
><em>Kurosaki- kun…<br>_He was not difficult to find. His reiatsu was turbulent and intense as always, even a bit enraged, but he seemed to be okay. She sighted of relief.  
><em><br>_As she explored all the layers of power in the air, she realized she could barely feel Kuchiki- san and Sado- kun. Her blood froze in her veins. They were hurt, badly injured, maybe even…  
><em>No, they're still alive, they have to be!<em>

"I must heal them, I must heal them…" she whispered, terrified.

Healing was her duty, the only thing she was good for. If she couldn't even do that, she would go insane.  
><em>My friends need me, I must heal them!<br>_But she knew she couldn't. She was powerless.  
><em>No... I have to, I have to!<br>_Orihime's body started to tremble, her blood was racing. She put her hands against the thick, stone wall that separated her from the outside world. She felt a sudden rage rise inside of her she had never experienced before. Maybe it was because she was all alone here, maybe it was because she could feel the life of two people who were dear to her slowly seep away, maybe it was because the fury she knew Kurosaki- kun was feeling was strengthening her own, but she screamed.

Orihime pounded her fists against the wall, screaming as loud as her body would allow, while hot tears streamed down her face. She let it all go – her frustration, her anger, her sadness, until a cool, rational voice in her head reminded her this kind of behavior was pointless and pathetic.

Orihime fell down on her knees and let her head rest against the cold wall. She felt dizzy.  
>"Why did you come…" she whispered. The last bits of rage inside her rage flamed for a moment, before they extinguished and there was nothing but despair left in her heart.<br>She hated herself for being so weak, and for the briefest moment she also hated her friends; she hated them for coming here, for doing this to her and themselves. They would die. She couldn't heal them, she couldn't save them. Just like there was no chance in the world they would be able to safe her. _  
>It's all my fault… <em>  
><em><br>_Suddenly she felt a presence.  
><em>Ulquiorra- sama.<br>_She turned around and saw him standing by the doorpost – a doorpost that definitely hadn't been there a few minutes ago. Ulquiorra was staring at her with glistening eyes. If Orihime didn't know better she would say he looked curious, maybe even intrigued.  
>She quickly wiped away her tears.<p>

"What's going on, woman?" He walked towards her with a dinner tray in his hands. The walls melted together and the doorpost disappeared. Orihime realized the doors in this room only existed for him.

"It's…" Orihime hesitated. Deep inside she really wanted to tell him how she felt, she wanted him to comfort her, but her pride didn't allow it. He was her prison keeper, after all. Not only would it be inappropriate, there would also be a chance he'd enjoy her misery, though she didn't think he was that kind of person. Either way he had no reason to comfort her, and she had no right to expect it from him.  
>"…it's nothing. I'm fine." She forced a smile, stood up and tried to smooth her messy hair.<p>

"You were crying and screaming; humans don't do that when they're fine."

"Ummm…" Orihime evaded his gaze.

"Are your injuries not healed properly?" He put the dinner tray down on the glass table and walked towards her.

"N- no, they are," Orihime stammered. "I feel much better, thank you for… saving me."

"It's my duty," Ulquiorra said simply.

"I guess so…" Orihime looked at the floor. She felt the blood rise to her face again.  
><em>Stupid cheeks!<em>

"Is it about your friends?"

Orihime gasped for breath. "No!" she said quickly. "I mean... maybe… a- a bit…" Her eyes unwillingly filled with tears.  
>Suddenly she realized something. A tiny sparkle of hope enlightened her heart.<br>"Ulquiorra- sama, please! Let me heal Sado- kun and Kuchiki- san! They need me!"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and sighted, almost inaudible.  
>"You know I can't do that," he said with an expressionless voice.<p>

Orihime fell down on her knees in front of him, desperate. "Please, I'll do anything… anything…"

"It would only postpone the inevitable. Your friends will die, sooner or later. Their fate has been decided the day they set foot in Hueco Mundo, or rather; the day Aizen- sama was born, and there's nothing you or I can do to change that."

Orihime silently let the tears stream down her cheeks. She knew he was right. If Aizen- sama would fulfill his vicious plans, everyone she cared about would die, no matter if she healed them now or not.  
><em>Then I must stop him, I must use my powers to reject the very existence of the <em>_Hougyoku.  
><em>The plan had suddenly appeared in her mind, or maybe it had been there all along. She now fully realized she was the only one who could come close to the source of Aizen- sama's power. There was a chance, a tiny little chance, that she could stop him.

Ulquiorra reached out his hand.  
>"Get up, woman," he said softly.<p>

Orihime grabbed his hand and looked at him. In the weak green light, the vertical lines below his incredible eyes looked more like tears than ever before.  
>She allowed him to help her up.<p>

A little shiver ran down her spine when Ulquiorra cautiously touched her cheek. He gently wiped away her tears.

"You're on of us now, Orihime Inoue," he said. "There is no need for tears."

"Y- yes..." she whispered, overwhelmed by this unexpected yet strangely pleasant physical contact.  
>"No need for tears."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Oh sweet, sweet drama…<strong>

**Sorry for the awfully predictible choice of title for this chapter... :P**

**Please let me know what you thought of this chap! ^^**  
><em><br>_**ps: I hope I didn't disappoint anyone by not turning Orihime into an arrancar. It just didn't feel quite right for this story. **_  
><em>


	4. It's time

**After days of writing I've finally finished chapter four! :) Have fun reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4: It's time<strong>

Ulquiorra sat on the couch, next to Orihime. He watched as the woman ate her food with small bites, as if she wasn't hungry. That was odd, since she hadn't eaten a thing for hours.

The woman sighted and stared at her plate, before she turned her head and looked at him with a troubled glance in her big, grayish blue eyes.  
>"Ulquiorra- sama… can I ask you something?" she asked cautiously.<p>

Ulquiorra nodded, wondering what was on her mind. He had the feeling she was about to ask him something important.

"This food…"

"The food?" Ulquiorra frowned.

Orihime blushed. "It tastes like… well, nothing at all. Could you… I mean; if it's possible… could you politely ask the cook if I can get something more… eatable?" She looked at him hopefully.

Ulquiorra felt how his lips curdled in a small smile, a smile that became even slightly broader when he saw how Orihime's eyes widened.

"U- Ulquiorra- smama?" she stammered, completely stunned.

"I think I can take care of that," he said, still amused by her reaction.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra- sama." Orihime smiled. Ulquiorra noticed her whole face lightened up and her eyes started to glisten. The comparison with tiny little diamonds crossed his mind.

Ulquiorra stood up. "Now, you have to go to sleep. Your body still needs rest to fully recover from the attack."

Orihime shook her head. "I feel fine, I'm not tired at all, can't we –" Her sentence was interrupted by a yawn.  
>"S- sorry," she stammered.<p>

"Go to sleep, woman." Ulquiorra said gently.

"Okay…" Orihime put her plate down on the table. Her cheeks were flushed in the most beautiful shade of pink and there was a hint of a smile on her lips. She stood up, walked towards her bed and stood still in front of it. For a moment she seemed to hesitate. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder, at Ulquiorra.

As their gazes met a strange, warm and tingling sensation spread through Ulquiorra's body, he couldn't quite determine what it was.

"Goodnight, Ulquiorra- sama," Orihime said softly.

"Yes, goodnight," Ulquiorra responded with a blank expression on his pale face. He turned around and walked down the path between the pillars, towards the back wall, with his hands in his pockets. He had the strong feeling Orihime was looking at him, and resisted the urge to look over his shoulder to see if that really was the case.

The wall opened itself and Ulquiorra walked through it. Outside he stood still and waited until the wall closed with a soft, rumbling sound. He leaned against the once again solid stone and closed his eyes.  
><em>There it is again, that feeling…<br>_It's warmness was oppressive, it irritated him.  
><em>Why do I feel this and how can I get rid of it? <em>

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra walked through the main hall of Las Noches. He was on his way to Aizen- sama, who had ordered him to come to the chamber that was currently being used as a meeting room.<br>_I wonder what Aizen- sama wants… _

"Ulquiorra." A blue haired man was sitting on the floor, his arm leaning on his knee. "Going to see Aizen- sama?"

Ulquiorra stood still. "That's none of your concern, Grimmjow."

Grimmjow got to his feet and stretched his back. "Whatever. I'm kind of in a hurry anyway; I'm going to kill that bastard Kurosaki." He gridded his teeth. "He has escaped me a few times before, but now he's got nowhere to run to, now he's mine…"

"Did Aizen- sama order you to do that?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Not exactly, but he didn't tell me _not _to do it either." A grin spread on Grimmjow's face.

_How predictable…  
><em>"I see, so you're just going to fight to satisfy yourself."

"Yeah right, like you don't want to fight him." Grimmjow snorted. "Or maybe you don't… There are some rumors going on about you turning soft, Ulquiorra… Letting the girl stay in your private room, trying to convince Aizen- sama to turn her into an arrancar… If I didn't know better I'd say you've got the hots for her," Grimmjow said, smiling provocatively.

"You're talking nonsense," Ulquiorra said coldly. "Orihime Inoue would be a powerful arrancar, an addition."

Grimmjow continued as if he hadn't heard a word Ulquiorra said. "And Aizen- sama refused, didn't he? Ha!" Grimmjow laughed. "Does that make you sad, Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra remained silent and stared at Grimmjow with an icy glance in his never blinking eyes.

"I must admit; you've got some taste, Ulquiorra. That girl's got some nice –"

"You've crossed the line, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra said. The warning in his voice was unmistakable. "No matter how good you feel about yourself, I'm still higher in rank."

Grimmjow's grin melted away. He rolled his eyes and groaned. "Whatever… I'm off to crash Kurosaki's party now…" He ran a hand through his short hair before putting both of his hands in his pockets. "Have fun with your human toy…" he said as he walked away.

Ulquiorra's intuition told him this was the last time he'd see Grimmjow alive.  
><em>Makes sense. He's a complete moron anyway. <em>

* * *

><p>Much against her expectations, Orihime fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She dreamed about a small, pearl- like, transparent violet sphere, filled with twirling silver fog. It was the most beautiful yet terrifying thing she'd ever seen. It was a hypnotizing sight.<br>_I must destroy it…  
><em>Orihime carefully touched the sphere with her index finger, expecting to feel either extreme warmth or intense cold, but she didn't feel anything at all. It was as if she touched nothing but air.  
><em>But it's really there, is it? I can see it… or are my eyes deceiving me?<br>_Orihime pulled back, she didn't trust her senses any more. It was trap.  
><em>"They're all dead…" <em>  
>Orihime's heart tightened with fear as she heard the velvet voice that belonged to Aizen- sama in her head.<br>_"Even Ulquiorra…"_

_No._

_It can't be._

_He's…_

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra sat on the couch, his arms resting on the back side, while he watched the woman sleep. Again she was sleeping restlessly, moving under the sheets as if she tried to shake off something. Another nightmare?<p>

"Ulquiorra- sama…"

Ulquiorra woke up from his pondering when he heard Orihime murmuring his name in her sleep.  
><em>Is she having a nightmare about me? <em>  
>Even though it was not more than logical that she was afraid of him, the number four Espada as well as the man who forced her to come to Hueco Mundo, that thought didn't really please him.<p>

"No…" she moaned softly.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes. Images instantly appeared in his mind. He saw Aizen- sama sitting at the head of the big table in the in the meeting room, smirking smugly.  
><em>"It's time, Ulquiorra," <em>he had said.

"It's time…" Ulquiorra whispered. He opened his eyes and glanced at the woman. She had stopped moving and was now sleeping peacefully, her auburn hair spread on the cushion like a fan. She looked serene and innocent, unaware of the fate that awaited her. Or maybe she did know, deep inside.

Ulquiorra knew he should wake her, but he didn't really feel like doing it. He tried to remember the last time he'd been reluctant to execute an order from Aizen- sama, but failed. What was different this time?

He heard Grimmjow's voice in his head: _"There are some rumors going on about you turning soft, Ulquiorra…_"

Ulquiorra couldn't care less about what others thought of him, except maybe Aizen- sama, but those words – those ridiculous, unfounded words – did affect him, for some reason. To say that that annoyed him was an understatement. It was tearing him apart from the inside, because he couldn't comprehend why he cared so much.  
><em>No, that's not all there is to it…<em>  
>It was also because the only logic reason his ever logical- thinking mind could come up with was that he indeed <em>was<em> turning soft – on matters that concerned the woman, that is.  
><em>The woman…<br>_Yes, she was the cause of all is his inner trouble, all his doubting and all his struggling; she was the cause of everything he couldn't understand.  
>And for that he hated her.<br>He hated her because he couldn't hate her.

* * *

><p>Orihime rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and opened them. The first thing she saw was a pale man with raven hair, intense emerald eyes and white attire.<p>

"Ulquiorra- sama…" She sat up in her bed and felt a heat stealing over her face as she realized he had been watching her sleep. When she noticed the look in his eyes a cold, uncomfortable feeling spread through her body. Something was wrong.

"Aizen- sama wishes to see you as soon as possible. After you've finished your dinner you must take a bath and put on clean clothes," he said in a grim, unfriendly tone that sounded like it brooked no contradiction. His eyes had a sadness inside of them Orihime had never seen before or just failed to notice.  
>There was definitely something wrong.<p>

She looked to the plate of food that was standing next to her bed. It looked delicious; there was rice with many types of vegetables and meat all covered in a thick, sweet looking sauce.  
>"Amazing…" It felt it was ages ago she'd last eaten something she actually enjoyed, so just the sight of this food made her mouth water.<br>"Thank you, Ulquiorra- sama!" She gave him a thankful smile but he didn't answer it, he didn't even look at her, he just stood there, gazing at the floor with sad, empty eyes.

Orihime lowered her gaze and started eating, though she had suddenly lost all appetite.

When she had finished her meal Ulquiorra silently guided her to a bathroom from which had not known the existence. Since the doors in these chambers only existed for Ulquiorra, he had to guide her inside the huge, completely black bathroom. Amazed Orihime observed her surroundings. There were no windows, the light was provided by countless little blue sparkles on the ceiling and there was a sharp- edged bathtub in the middle of the room, big enough for eight people to fit in.

"Here's a clean dress." Ulquiorra handed her a white bundle of clothes. "I'll give you thirty minutes, then I'll come in to get you, if you're ready or not." After those for Orihime quite disturbing words he turned on his heels and left the bathroom. An ominous silence fell.

Orihime stared at the piece of garment in her arms.  
><em>I'd better hurry…<em>

* * *

><p>Orihime sat in the bathtub. She had added some of the red liquid soap that was in the crystal bottle next to the tub to the water, and was enjoying the relaxing herbal smell of it. She pushed all of her problems (her friends who were out there, fighting for their lives, and Ulquiorra- sama's sudden change of attitude) aside and tried to completely clear her mind. She had to be focused and free of distractions in order to fulfill the task that was ahead of her: destroying the Hougyoku.<p>

_Wait a second… how long have I been in here?_

Orihime's eyes flew open. After thirty minutes Ulquiorra would come in to get her, that's what he said. She glanced at the piece of wall where they had come in. Ulquiorra could enter any moment. Orihime started blushing heavily as she pictured him coming while she was still in the bathtub, or worse: when she was standing outside of the tub, but without her clothes on.

_No, no, no, think of something else, think of something else!_

Would he blush? Was he even capable of blushing? Would he enjoy seeing her or would he be completely unaffected? She kind of hoped it _would _affect him…

"Aaah!" A soft, nervous cry escaped her lips. She quickly got of the bathtub and grabbed the towel that was lying on the side of the tub. She dried herself as fast as could, without removing her eyes from the wall.  
><em>Hurry, hurry, hurry – <em>  
>Orihime had just put on her dress when Ulquiorra entered.<p>

"I- I'm ready," she said while she quickly tried to make her hair look less wet and lank.

Ulquiorra just nodded and guided her through the wall. Then she followed him through a second wall, the wall that separated the living room from the hallway. There Orihime stood still.  
>"Ulquiorra- sama…"<p>

Ulquiorra turned around. "Yes?"__

"Did.. something bad happen?" she asked, her eyes filled with confusion and gloom.

Ulquiorra closed his eyes for a moment. When he looked at her again, he asked her a question instead of answering hers.  
>"What is a soul?"<p>

"What…?" Orihime brought her hands to her chest. "A- a soul?"

"Is it something held captive in your body?" He continued as he slowly walked towards her. "Could I see yours if I if tore open your chest with a blade?" He pointed towards the place where her heart was. "Could you see mine if you did the same to me?"  
>He was now so close Orihime could feel his warm breath on her face. She shivered, but it was not necessarily an unpleasant shiver.<p>

"A soul…" Orihime had trouble finding the right words, and Ulquiorra's piercing glance and the fact their faces were only inches removed from each other weren't helping at all. "A soul is born when two people connect."

"What a human thought." Ulquiorra sighted and turned around again. "Follow me, Aizen- sama is waiting for us."

"Yes…" Orihime whispered. She had a weird feeling inside, and that feeling told her something horrible was about to happen.  
><em>And Ulquiorra- sama knows it...<br>_

* * *

><p><strong>Impending doom! Mwuhaha!<strong>

**Please click on that sweet little blue button below!**  
><strong>*points*<strong>  
><strong>*points again*<strong>


	5. Goodbye, Ulquiorra kun

**With both sadness and joy I announce the last chapter of this fic, and prepare; it's the longest one yet. ;-)  
>To be honest I've always hated to end stories (cough writersblock cough) but I hope this last chapter is a satisfying finale.<strong>

**ps: In the context of creative freedom my Ulquiorra can't heal himself in his unreleased form, just so you know.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Goodbye, Ulquiorra- kun<strong>

They climbed a long and winding staircase; Ulquiorra leading the way, Orihime a few steps behind him. The higher they climbed, the more certain Orihime got there was something at the top of the tower, something huge, something that was threatingly powerful.  
><em>Is this the moment? Is Aizen-sama going to make me restore the Hougyoku?<br>_Orihime's breathing became faster, and not because she was getting exhausted from climbing the stairs.

Ulquiorra held still in front of a white double door.  
>"We're there," he said, more to himself than to Orihime.<p>

Ulquiorra slowly opened the door, revealing an impressive and way bigger room than Orihime had expected. The ceiling was incredibly high and the dark blue tiles on the floor were so shiny Orihime could see herself. That however completely disappeared to the background when she saw the object that was placed in middle of the hall, on top of a stone platform; a huge, eye shaped sphere that reminded Orihime of a drop of water on a mirror. Inside the watery sphere she could vaguely see a city under a blue cloudless sky.  
><em>Is that… Karakura town?<em>

In front of the sphere stood three men, all dressed in white. Men she hadn't seen in a long time, men she feared, one in particular. Aizen.

"Welcome, Orihime." Aizen's velvet voice resonated through the room.

Aizen descended the stairway of the platform, coming towards Orihime and Ulquiorra.  
>He laid his hand on Ulquiorra's shoulder. "You've done well, Ulquiorra."<p>

Next he walked to Orihime. Every fiber in her body was screaming: run, get away from him, but she knew that even she could, she wouldn't run. She had a task to fulfill; she was the only one who could put an end to this madness.

Aizen stood still in front of her – a bit too close, if you'd ask Orihime – and smiled. His deep brown eyes were filled confidence and determination. He had an aura of superiority surrounding him, something untouchable. It made Orihime feel very small and fragile.

"A- are you going to force me to restore the Hougyoku now?" she managed to say.

Aizen chuckled and a sudden cold fear ran throughout her body.

"Oh sweet, ignorant Orihime, I'm afraid you got it all wrong. Did I give you the impression you are more than just a decoy, another tracing wheel in my plan? Do you think you still have use for me?"

Orihime's body started to tremble, just like her fragile resolve. "B- but…"

Aizen brought his face closer to hers and for one insane moment she thought he'd kiss her, but he didn't.  
>"I don't need you anymore," he whispered in her ear.<p>

Aizen stepped back and smirked. "Now Orihime, I want you stay here and watch as I destroy Karakura town."

"Destroy… Karakura town?" Orihime whispered. Thousandth questions stormed through her head, the main being: why?

"I have to destroy the town in order to create the King's Key," Aizen said as if he had read Orihime's mind.

Orihime didn't know what the King's Key was nor what it could do, but one thing she did understand: Aizen had used her as a mere pawn. She had been deceived, the Hougyoku was already fixed, or maybe it never even needed to be in the first place.  
><em>And he's … going to destroy Karakura town… my home, my friends…<br>_The face of Tatsuki- san appeared in her mind. Sweet, brave Tatsuki- san. It wasn't fair, she didn't have anything to with this, the whole town didn't have anything to do this. And yet, they were all going to be dragged into Aizen's madness. Orihime prayed there was some last defense, somebody how could stop Aizen. There just had to be, the alternative was too horrible to even think of.

Aizen ascended the stairs. When he had reached the top of the platform he looked over his shoulder. "Ulquiorra, I'm leaving things to you here. Do as you please… " He stepped into the sphere, followed by Kaname.

Gin looked at Orihime and waved, a characteristic creepy grin plasted on his face. "Bye, bye," he said, before he followed the other two ex- captains. The sphere wrinkled after the violet haired man had passed through, like the surface of a pond after a small rock is thrown into it, before it plashed apart.

Ulquiorra, who had been standing with his back towards Orihime, silently watching the scene, turned around and looked her in the eye.

"Are you… going to kill me now?" The question had left Orihime's mouth before she knew it.

A brief expression of pain flashed across his face.  
>"Do you think I will?"<p>

Orihime saw herself in his arms, the man who had practically kidnapped her but also held her company in her darkest, loneliest moments, who had brought her food, healed her… She didn't really know him, though. It was impossible to see through the cold white mask that was his face, but a voice deep inside told her that he would spare her.  
>"No," she answered with glistening eyes.<p>

"You're lying…" Ulquiorra said. "You fear me, woman, and I don't blame you for that. It's not more than natural, human instinct."

"I'm not afraid of you," Orihime said, her voice slightly raised. "You're… my friend."

* * *

><p>Ulquiorra's eyes widened. He definitely didn't see that one coming.<br>_Her friend… that's just ridiculous…  
><em>He couldn't remember ever been called 'a friend', neither did he feel those kind of feelings regards anyone. He respected and admired Aizen- sama, yes, but he didn't saw him as a friend.  
><em>A friend…<em>  
>"What does that mean anyway…" he thought out loud.<p>

"Someone... you've shared things with.' He looked at the woman as she started to speak. "Someone you care about, someone…" Orihime gazed at her reflection in the floor. "… you'd protect no matter what."

A snicker broke the silence that had filled the room. Ulquiorra quickly turned his head to the door, where the sound had come from. A tall, skinny man approached them.  
>"Nnoitora," Ulquiorra said, barely able to hide his surprise and irritation. "What are you doing here?"<br>In the corner of his eye he saw Orihime was looking at the visitor cautiously, her arms pressed against her chest.

"Ulquiorra…" Nnoitora said, pronouncing Ulquiorra's name slowly. "Well, well… if you're interested; I was just on my way to finish the job that weakling Grimmjov couldn't, when I ran into this interesting scene..."

He stood still, a few steps removed from Ulquiorra and Orihime.  
>"Are you having trouble finishing that useless girl? That's nothing like you, Ulquiorra… Are you losing your touch or is it because your <em>heart<em> is starting to bother you?"

Ulquiorra looked at the evilly grinning fifth espada. A sudden feeling of anger rose to the surface.  
>"Neither one of the options," he said coldly. "Aizen- sama didn't order me to kill her just yet, he wants her to see how he destroys Karakura town, so seeing it she shall."<p>

"Aizen- sama's already gone, he wouldn't mind if I put forward her time of death a little bit… I can use a little warm- up before taking on Kurosaki…" Nnoitora glanced at Orihime. The woman tried to keep her cool but Ulquiorra could see the beginning fear in her eyes. His anger deepened.

"No. Aizen sama wants her to stay alive. I won't let you come even near her…" Ulquiorra said darkly as he put his hand on his zanpakutou.

"Ulquiorra- sama…" Orihime stammered.

"Really?" Nnoitora's grin grew. "Let's put that claim to the test!" He drew his zanpakutou, that wasn't as much a sword as some kind of scythe, attached to his body with a black chain. The double half moon- like blades glistened ominously.

"No, don't!" Orihime yelled.

Ulquiorra looked at her, surprised by her sudden outcry. _  
>Is she… worried? About me?<br>_"Stay back, woman," he said. "This won't take long."

Orihime seemed to struggle with herself for a moment, but eventually nodded and stepped back. Ulquiorra turned his gaze at Nnoitora again.

"Finally…" Nnoitora whispered, staring at Ulquiorra as if he was hypnotized. "I've been waiting for this a long time…" He started laughing, revealing the number five tattoo on his tongue, and pointed his blade at the other espada.  
>"Aren't you going to draw your sword?"<p>

"Why would I?" Ulquiorra said bluntly.

Nnoitora's face flamed with rage after this insult. "Then die!" He ran towards Ulquiorra and swung his sword.

Ulquiorra caught the blade with his bare hand. In his other hand, a small green orb appeared.

Nnoitora's eyes widened and he quickly jumped backwards, barely able to dodge Ulquiorra's cero. He landed on his feet, his clothes scorched at one side.  
>"Not bad, but I'm just getting started!" He growled and threw his zanpakutou at Ulquiorra.<p>

_What a pitiful attack…_  
>The fourth espada stepped aside. Nnoitora's blade hit the floor, crushing the stone tiles as if they were made of sugar.<p>

Nnoitora grabbed the chain and the pulled his blade back, rotating it above his head and creating a massive whirlwind.

Ulquiorra's hair and clothes swished in the cold wind. He could barely see a thing.  
><em>Where is he?<br>_A glistening in the corner of his eye. A blade cleaved through the air with an incredible speed. Ulquiorra quickly drew his sword and parried the attack.

The wind died down and Nnoitora yanked the chain of his zanpakutou, catching the weapon with his other hand.  
>"I see you finally drew your sword, now the real fight starts!" He attacked Ulquiorra head on, catching the fourth espada's blade in his own. Nnoitora groaned and forced Ulquiorra back with all his power, intending to push him against one of the marble pillars violently.<p>

_Predictable.  
><em>Ulquiorra pointed his index finger at Nnoitora.

"That won't work again!" Nnoitora yelled. He suddenly stood still, and swung his sword. Ulquiorra flew blackwards and crushed into a pillar. Pieces of marble soughed through the air.

Ulquiorra used the haze of dust that had aroused and moved himself in the blink of an eye behind Nnoitora. The fifth espada turned around quickly but he was already too late. Rays of light gathered at Ulquiorra's fingertip. A green cero split the air with a rumbling sound, causing a huge explosion as it hit its goal.

Ulquiorra stared at the curtain of smoke that fallen over the room.  
><em>He's… still alive?<br>_As the smoke slowly faded away, a lank figure became visible. Nnoitora was standing in front of the ruins of the pillars, leaning on his sword. His clothes were torn and his body was covered in blood and dust, but the evil grin hadn't left his face.

"I won't... die that easily... Ulquiorra…" Nnoitora said panting. "I _will _beat you!" He raised his zanpakutou. "Pray, Santa Teresa!"  
>A golden light, bright as the sun, spread all over the fifth espada's body and strings of immense spiritual pressure raced through the air.<p>

Ulquiorra watched the show of force calmly, his face expressionless as ever.  
><em>Why doesn't he just give up?<br>_He glanced at Orihime. Her hair and dress were waving and she had raised her hand to protect her eyes from the blazing light. She was standing next to the platform, far removed from the heat of the battle.  
><em>But not far enough…<em>

Suddenly it all stopped. In front of Ulquiorra now stood a horned, four armed creature holding a huge, dead sharp scythe in each hand. His wounds had all closed up.  
>"I can release my sword here and you can't, Ulquiorra! Now I'm the strongest! You'll never beat me!" Nnoitora screamed.<br>It struck Ulquiorra just how insane the fifth espada sounded.

With an enraged cry Nnoitora lashed out at Ulquiorra with his scythes. Each attack Ulquiorra blocked was swiftly followed by another. Their blades flashed like lightning. A drop of sweat ran down Ulquiorra's forehead.  
>Suddenly he felt a sting of pain. Nnoitora's blade had hit his upper arm. The blood flowed down in thin streams, dripping on the floor and soaking the white fabric of his jacket.<br>_Dammit, those four arms really are a pain...  
><em>But he knew that if he'd cut them off, they'd grow back instantly.  
><em>… which means I have to be quick. <em>

"Haha, I'm the strongest!" Nnoitora laughed madly. "Die!" He swung all four of his scythes simultaneously at Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra evaded the attack and in one motion he cut off all Nnoitora's arms. The scythes clattered to the ground. The fifth espada quickly moved backwards.  
>"That won't work!" Nnoitora groaned as the bone- like material of his arms started to grow back.<p>

In a flash Ulquiorra appeared in front of him, lashing out at his throat. Blood spurted in the air.

Nnoitora fell down on one knee, his face twisted in pain. A deep cut ran across his chest, from his left side to the base of his throat.

"You've dodged in the last second, I intended to chop off your head." Ulquiorra said.

Nnoitora got on his feet and turned around, facing Ulquiorra again. His legs were shaking and dark red liquid streamed down his abs.  
>"I… I am… the strongest, the absolute strongest," he hissed and he threw Ulquiorra the most hate filled glance he'd ever received.<p>

Ulquiorra pointed his word at Nnoitora.  
><em>Too bad I can't show him my release here, then he would swallow those swords humbly…<br>_  
>Nnoitora stuck out his tongue. A yellow cero formed at the tip. Ulquiorra stretched out his hand and focused his spiritual pressure, ready to catch the attack.<p>

The cero grew larger and larger, until it released. But at the last moment, Nnoitora turned his head, sending the cero towards Orihime, instead of Ulquiorra.

_No!_  
>Ulquiorra moved as fast as he could. He pushed Orihime aside and caught the massive beam of power with his body. It was the hardest blow he'd ever received. The bright yellow light filled his eyes, his mind, everything. It was burning every fiber of his being but he forced himself to remain standing. Vaguely, he could hear a woman's cry.<br>His feet lost grip and he was pushed backwards, flying through the air for what felt like an eternity until he hit the wall._  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Ulquiorra- sama!" Orihime cried. She quickly got up and ran towards the end of the hall, where a small white figure was lying in a battlefield of stone and dust. Her eyes filled with tears.<br>_Please, please…_

Through the haze of tears, she saw the figure started moving. _  
>Is he…?<br>_Slowly Ulquiorra stood up. His clothes were ripped and scorched, and his white skin had several burn marks, but he was still alive. And not happy, judging by the look on his face.

"Ulquiorra- sama…"

Ulquiorra looked at her. "Stay put, woman."

"But… you're wounded, let me heal you and –"

"No," Ulquiorra said as he walked towards Nnoitora. "First I'll kill… that coward…"

Nnoitora's arms had grown back and he had retrieved his scythes. The grim look on his face transformed into a smirk. "Ha! I knew it! I knew you'd gone soft, Ulquiorra… You don't deserve the title of espeda number four!"

A faint green light spread over Ulquiorra's body, a light that became more clear and bright with every step he took.  
>Orihime saw the same happened to Nnoitora. The two espada were collecting all their spiritual pressure in order to decide the battle with one last strike.<p>

Orihime brought her arms to her chest, her heart pounding in her throat. _  
><em>"Please win, Ulquiorra sama…" she whispered.

Streams of power whirled around the two espada. It spread a dazzling light and seemed to suck away all oxygen. The air around Orihime became heavy and it cost her a lot of effort just to remain upright.

"DIE!" Nnoitora screamed as he took off and flew towards Ulquiorra, his body wrapped in yellow light.

Ulquiorra moved through the air faster than Orihime's eyes could see. She quickly summoned a shield to protect herself. A deafening bang sounded as the two powers collided. Within less than a second it was over.

One person was standing upright in the middle of the room. A few meters behind him lay a limp figure in a pool of blood, his eyes staring at the ceiling without seeing anything. Nnoitora would never see anything again. The last image that his eyes had perceived was that of Ulquiorra's blade.

Ulquiorra stood there for a second, motionless, before he turned around, his blood dripping sword still in his hand.

"Are you unharmed, woman?"

Orihime walked towards him. "Yes... thank you, Ulquiorra- sama," she said, slightly blushing. He had defended her. Again.

Suddenly she saw something move behind Ulquiorra.  
><em>Is that…<em>

"Go away from Orihime!"

Ulquiorra frowned and turned around to see who had yelled at him.

"Kurosaki- kun, wait!" Orihime screamed but she was already too late. Ichigo had pierced his black sword right through the heart of the surprised Ulquiorra. His blood stained sword slipped out his hand and hit the floor with a clinging sound.

"No!" Orihime cried.

Ichigo pulled his sword out of Ulquiorra. The fourth espada fell to the ground. His face still had a surprised expression, his eyes were wide open, as if he couldn't comprehend what just had happened.

"Orihime, what's wrong?" Ichigo said confusedly.

Orihime just shook her head and got down on her knees next to Ulquiorra.  
>"Ulquiorra- sama? Can you hear me?" She said sobbing and she grabbed his hand. Her tears fell on the pale skin of his face.<p>

"Ori… hime…" Ulquiorra whispered.

Orihime's heart skipped a beat. "Ulquiorra- sama, you're- you're alive." She squeezed his hand.

Ulquiorra's lips parted as if he wanted to say something and his eyes were sad and dull. He suddenly looked very human.  
>Orihime brought her face closer to his. Before she realized what she was doing, she brushed her lips against his in a soft kiss, light as a feather.<p>

Behind her Ichigo gasped for breath. That sound was what brought her back to earth.  
><em>God, what am I doing?<em>!  
>She quickly pulled back, too shocked to even blush.<p>

"I- I'm sorry, I…" she stammered.

Ulquiorra stared at the ceiling, amazed at first, then remarkably peaceful and resigned, as if things had finally fallen into place. "I see… now I see…" he whispered. "All this time… her soul was right in my hands…"  
>As his eyes closed, the tiniest smile appeared on his face.<p>

"No!" Orihime held her hands above wound in his chest. "Sōten Kisshun; I reject."

A familiar warmness spread through Orihime's body. She focused all her energy on Ulquiorra's wound, but it felt as if the power just slipped away.  
><em>It isn't working!<br>_She closed her eyes and tried to empty her head. She collected every bit of energy her body possessed and poured it into Ulquiorra. Finally she felt a reaction.  
>She opened her eyes again and saw how the wound slowly closed.<br>_Yes!  
><em>Her head was spinning and she felt her body become weaker every second, but she refused to stop. She had to heal her friend.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
>"Orihime." She heard a soft voice say.<p>

Orihime looked over her shoulder.  
>"Kurosaki- kun."<p>

"I'm sorry, Orihime. I - I didn't know he was a friend of you, I thought…" He looked at her apologizing.

She understood. She understood what it must have looked like, what Ichigo thought and what his instinct told him to do, and she also realized that Ichigo would never be able to fully understand the truth. She could barely comprehend it herself. The past weeks suddenly felt like a dream in another life. A weird, frighteningly confusing but also sweet dream that would haunt her forever.  
>"It's okay, Kurosaki- kun," Orihime said and she smiled.<p>

Ichigo smiled back, visibly relieved. "Come." He reached out his hand. "Let's go."

"But…"

"He'll be fine," Ichigo said. "You mustn't use all of your power."

_He's right… Rukia- san, Sado- kun, Ishida- kun, Abarai- kun… they all need my help. They're counting on me…  
><em>She grabbed Ichigo's hand allowed him to help her up. When she noticed Ichigo's shirt was torn and his body was covered with scratches and bruises, she realized he himself could use some healing too.

"It's nothing," Ichigo said when he saw her look. "We have to hurry and find the others quickly if we want to stop Aizen."

Orihime nodded, and followed Ichigo to the door. There she stood still, one palm on the doorpost, and she looked over her shoulder one last time. She wasn't surprised to see Ulquiorra was looking at her.  
>"Goodbye, Ulquiorra- kun," she said softly, before she turned her gaze at the ground and started descending the staircase.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>The end!<strong>

**I admit, not a 100 percent happy one, but that was never my intention.**

**I hope you had as much fun reading this story as I did writing it.**

**xoxo**


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